Effect of carbocisteine in prevention of exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CAPRI study): an observational study

Publication date: Available online 9 March 2016 Source:Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics Author(s): Antonietta Esposito, Maria Rosaria Valentino, Dario Bruzzese, Marialuisa Bocchino, Antonio Ponticiello MDPhD, Anna Stanziola, Alessandro Sanduzzi Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic and progressive lung disease characterized by irreversible airflow obstruction, airway inflammation , oxidative stress and, often, mucus hypersecretion. The aim of thisstudy is to determine if carbocisteine, a mucolytic and antioxidant agent, administered daily for 12 months, can reduce exacerbation frequency in COPD patients. Methods This observational studywas conducted in Naples (population approximately 1000,000),Italy.It included 85 out-patients (mean age of 67.8 ± 8.6 years) followed by Clinic of Respiratory Diseases of the University Federico II. Every patient underwent spirometry demonstrating airflow obstruction not fully reversible according to ERS/ATS criteria for COPD diagnosis(Tiffenau indexless than 70% after administration of salbutamol, a beta2 agonist drug ).Patients enrolled had diagnosed COPD since 2 years and suffered at least one exacerbation in the previous year. None of the patients had been treated with carbocisteine or other mucolytic agent for a longer period of time than 7 days and no more than 4 times in the previous year to the enrollment. All of them assumeddaily 2.7 g of carbocisteine lysine salt for...
Source: Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Category: Respiratory Medicine Source Type: research